Event: David Blumenthal, M.D., the national coordinator for Health Information Technology, will hold a press conference at The University of Texas at Austin’s Health Information Technology Learning Laboratory at the Clinical Education Center at University Medical Center Brackenridge to speak about the digital revolution in health care and the importance of generating a well-prepared e-health workforce.
Recent graduates of the university’s Health Information Technology summer certificate program and Dr. Leanne Field, director of the university’s Health Information Technology programs, will also be available to the media.
When: 9-9:30 a.m., Friday, Oct. 15
Where: Health Information Technology Learning Laboratory at the Clinical Education Center at University Medical Center Brackenridge, 1400 North I-35.
Background: The College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin recently graduated 54 students from its Health Information Technology summer program, which was funded in part by a $5.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology to the Professional University Resources and Education for Health Information Technology consortium, led by Texas State University. The College of Natural Sciences is creating four certificate programs to develop a workforce in this emergent field. The summer program was the first program in the nation funded by the ONC to have graduated students in health information technology.
Blumenthal, previously a Harvard University medical professor and researcher, was tapped by President Barack Obama in 2009 to lead a nationwide effort to transform healthcare delivery by implementing new technology. Blumenthal’s visit to the college’s learning lab is sponsored by the Texas e-Health Alliance, the Seton Family of Hospitals and The University of Texas at Austin.
Learn more about the university’s Health IT programs.
